A much-loved builder and father-of-four took his own life at his Hughenden Valley home, an inquest has heard.

James Godfrey, who ran a successful building company with his wife Clare, was tragically found dead by police officers in the garden of his Warrendene Road home on January 18 this year.

Mr Godfrey, 47, was reported missing to Thames Valley Police at around 5.30pm that day and officers went to his home address to search for him.

His body was found in the garden at 6.07pm by a police officer who was searching the garden by torchlight.

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He died as a result of hanging, a post-mortem revealed, and there were no drugs or alcohol in his system.

In a statement read out at an inquest into Mr Godfrey’s death on Tuesday, DC Harland from Thames Valley Police said there was a an iPhone and handwritten notes in his pocket, which said he loved his wife and children and was sorry.

Mrs Godfrey, who was supported at her husband’s inquest hearing at Buckinghamshire coroner’s court in Beaconsfield by a friend, said their family life had been “full and busy”.

Her statement added that they had been married for 22 years, in which they grew a successful building business and raised four children.

Mr Godfrey was also an active member of the church and coached cricket, but battled anxiety and depression and suffered with insomnia.

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She said: “His mood was up and down. He shared that he always felt sad but didn’t know why.”

He had tried to address this before with medication and counselling, but the problems resurfaced in summer 2019.

Alison McCormick, assistant coroner for Buckinghamshire, said: “He last had counselling in summer 2019 and these feelings seemed to have impacted his state of mind in the weeks leading up to his death.

“Mr Godfrey was found hanged by police on January 18 by police officers. There were no lifesaving opportunities.”

Addressing Mr Godfrey’s family, who attended the inquest hearing, Ms McCormick added: “I can tell he was very loved.”

She concluded that Mr Godfrey’s death was as a result of suicide.

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